Excerpted from Briefing Room: Mitt Romney’s campaign has sent its bus to collect and distribute donated supplies for those in the path of Hurricane Sandy, aides said Monday.

Romney was originally slated to campaign over the weekend in Virginia, but canceled plans there and joined running mate Paul Ryan in Ohio. Curt Cashour, Romney’s Virginia communications director, tweeted Monday that the campaign bus will instead be used to transport basic supplies to local storm-relief centers.

The Romney campaign will also be collecting supplies at its offices in North Carolina, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

As the hurricane approaches the Eastern Seaboard, the Republican presidential candidate has encouraged supporters to donate to the Red Cross. In an email to his mailing list late Sunday night, Romney also encouraged supporters to reach out to friends and neighbors.

“I hope that if you can, you’ll reach out to your neighbors who may need help getting ready for the storm — especially your elderly neighbors,” Romney wrote.

The candidate also asked those in affected areas to remove outdoor political decorations that could become a safety hazard.

“For safety’s sake, as you and your family prepare for the storm, please be sure to bring any yard signs inside. In high winds they can be dangerous, and cause damage to homes and property,” Romney said.

The campaign also announced that it would suspend fundraising emails to Washington, D.C., Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Jersey, Maryland and New York, shadowing a similar move by the Obama campaign. And the campaign has added a Red Cross donation box to the front of Romney’s website.

Campaigning in Ohio on Sunday, Romney said the victims of the storm would be in his thoughts.

“I know that right now some people in the country are a little nervous about a storm about to hit the coast,” Romney said. “And our thoughts and prayers are with the people who will find themselves in harm’s way.”